# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1904_S7
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

of the Ev. Luth. Synodical Conference of North America. 1904. 7

was still unknown; only JESUS, the All-knowing, knew of it; and secondly, that Judas had not yet accomplished the evil deed of betrayal, and that it could still be prevented by a change of will.

Gerhard writes: "Certainly Christ admitted Judas, together with the rest, to the use of Holy Communion, as is concluded from Luke 22:20–23. For although Judas had already at that time received the wages of unrighteousness, yet this so grievous sin was known to Christ alone, but by no means to any of the apostles at that time; for they ask one another which of them it might be who would do this, Luke 22:23; therefore, after a preceding earnest warning that he should desist from that sin, Christ admits Judas together with the rest to Holy Communion." (Loc. th. De s. coena, § 223.)

We see, then, that where a man's work and state of heart are not yet manifest, where the evil work of the complete, clear break with the LORD JESUS Christ can still be prevented by a change of will, Christ does not withdraw the Sacrament from the disciple who still walks outwardly in the circle of the disciples, but lets him partake of it. What Judas cannot do himself, break his own will, that the LORD wants to do! If Judas eats judgment to himself, that is his own fault; he was not willing.

We do not wish to draw conclusions as to whom Communion is to be given and to whom it is to be refused from the accounts of the institution in the three Evangelists, especially since other passages of Scripture instruct us on this. Our LORD JESUS Christ and the holy apostles with Him show in other places of Scripture to whom the Sacrament is to be given and to whom it is to be refused. This happens either directly, when it says: Do not give! or indirectly, when it is taught how matters should stand with the one who wishes to come to the Lord's Table, which at the same time says that he with whom matters do not so stand should stay away from the Lord's Table, that he should be kept away — yes, kept away, namely by the preacher, who is not only an ambassador in Christ's stead, not only a steward of the mysteries of God to dispense them, but also a watchman over the house of Israel, who also has to watch over the treasures of the Church, that they not fall into unauthorized hands. When Scripture instructs us on the worthy use of the Sacrament, then by its words, "He that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh judgment to himself," it shows that it wants to warn against such eating and drinking, and against giving the Sacrament to those who are manifestly unworthy.

A direct statement of our LORD that we are not to give we find in Matt. 7:6, where it says: "Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine." In the preceding verses the LORD had forbidden judging, and with the threat of being judged in return and the parable of the beam and the splinter